QUETTA, June 7: Balochistan lawyers have decided to join the long march from Sukkur on June 9 and to boycott court proceedings in the province from June 9 to 15.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, leader of the lawyers’ community Ali Ahmed Kurd said that if their demands were not met after the long march then they would organise a “train march” in the second phase of their struggle.

Balochistan Bar Association president Baz Mohammad Kakar, Balochistan High Court Bar Association president Shakeel Ahmed Hadi and Balochistan Bar Council vice-chairman Hashim Khan Kakar were present on the occasion.

Mr Kurd said that after reaching Islamabad the lawyers would besiege the parliament house to remind the rulers their promise to reinstate the deposed judges, including Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

He said that the long march was aimed to pressurise the government to reinstate the deposed judges through an executive order.

Meanwhile, lawyers, activists of the APDM and representatives of civil society took out a procession from the district court to the Manan chowk.

Leader of the National Party and the PMAP addressed the protesters.

They said that the rally was held to moblise political workers and representatives of civil society to participate in the lawyers long march.

They said the opposition parties that had won the Feb 18 polls were committed to honouring their promise regarding the reinstatement of judiciary.

They criticised the coalition government for prolonging the restoration of the November 3 judiciary by dillydallying tactics like introducing the constitutional package.

They said that the reinstatement was simple matter that could be settled through an executive order instead of the constitutional package which required the two-third majority in parliament.

They said the country would remain in political and constitutional crisis if the rulers failed to fulfil their promise to reinstate the deposed judges.

They said that independence of judiciary could ensure the rule of law in the country.